Protege
by ChielleAsaki
Summary: A young girl is snatched from the life that she's known and thrown into a new world of blood and violence and vicious power struggles. Can she survive the horrors that this new life has in store for her? Or will she die trying?
1. Prologue

Authors note & Disclaimer: I did not create, nor do I own anything to do with DB/Z/GT. Chielle, Dasenko, Purtan, Daemon/Daikon and Chayla/Chieko are all my own creations and are therefore © Caitlin Cunningham 2003.

Rating: NC-16

Warning: This fic contains graphic death scenes. Some swearing in the later chapters. Recommended for mature audiences and isn't for those with weak stomachs. There are some sexual references, with particular reference to non-con (rape).

Also I use _Italics_ for private thoughts and these things for telepathic communication. Just so you're clear

Vocabulary – some Japanese words I use that you may not be familiar with.

Gaki – brat

Otousan – Father

Kaa-san – Mother

Neesan – Elder Sister

Niisan – Elder Brother

Saiyago – Native language of the saiyajins.

Shimatta! – Expletive curse word, roughly translates to 'damn it!'

Chikuso – Another curse word, literally means 'beast' not for polite company.

Kuso – Shit

Kusottare! – As before but a bit more powerful.

Nani! – what?

Oni – Demon (Guardians of Hell)

Z senshi – Also known as the Z Warriors. Basically I use this term to describe the group of warriors that have dubbed themselves the Earth's defenders.

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Prologue

It was early morning on Terrasei and the only things that disturbed the serenity of the pre-dawn air, were the lazy chirping of crickets or the sleepy rustle of birds stirring in their nests. The human population of the planet was still sleeping peacefully, adults and children alike all tucked snugly in their beds, not yet ready to face the dawning of the new day.

But one person didn't sleep peacefully. They tossed and turned fretfully as beads of icy sweat formed on their forehead. Vivid images of the planet under siege, the people being slaughtered and finally a last horrifying view of the planet exploding filled their mind. Cold fingers of sharp, tangible fear shot painfully through their body and cruel whispers echoed in their mind. _We're coming for you_, they whispered evilly. _We're coming Daemon and there's nothing you can do, we're coming to destroy everything you ever loved, we're coming, we're coming…we're coming for you…_

"NO!" Daemon screamed sitting bolt upright in bed, the sheets and pillowcases soaked with his sweat and his fists clenching and unclenching in terror. Beside him, his beloved wife Chayla rested peacefully in her innocent slumber, undisturbed by whatever demons plagued Daemon's nightmares. He drew in a long shuddering breath and stood on shaky legs, taking a moment to stretch the kinks out of his muscles. Quickly and silently dressing himself against the early morning chill, Daemon tiptoed out of the bedroom and walked down the hall towards the front door.

On his way he passed his daughter's bedroom where Chielle slept, blissfully unaware of her true nature and heritage, believing she was simply a normal six-year-old human child. Daemon peeked in her doorway and smiled fondly at his dearest child, who slept with her head resting on one hand and her other arm draped possessively around a teddy bear. She sighed and stirred slightly, a half smile creeping across her lips and Daemon's smile widened. _Ah to be that young and innocent again_, he reminisced.

Then the smile faded from Daemon's lips as he recalled his dream of that morning. Again the images came to him, but this time they were accompanied by a vision of a tall redheaded Saiyajin warrior, burning and slaughtering other races without mercy or compassion – instead laughing cruelly while they died slowly in agony. There was no doubt in Daemon's mind that that particular image was a prediction of what his daughter was to become, his sweet innocent daughter. He looked again at Chielle and a determined look stole across his face. _You cannot have her_, he whispered in the vaults of his mind. _You can destroy everything else but Chielle you cannot touch._

_We shall see, we shall see_ Daemon thought he heard answered and he ran outside and looked up at the stars.

"Come then if you must" he said, quietly throwing the challenge to the stars. "Come then, we will be ready!" But Daemon wasn't so sure.

Silently he cursed Bardock, because he knew that he was responsible for him having the visions. Sure Bardock's warning was what had prompted Daemon to leave Vegetasei, after all Daemon had been the only one to believe Bardock's premonitions. But Bardock had done something to him before he left, Daemon just knew it. A small but hard blow to the base of his neck…that was the cause of Daemon's alarming dreams. Bardock passing on a gift just before Vegetasei's end…or was it a curse? Daemon wasn't sure…all he knew was that danger was on its way and they had to be ready…or they were all doomed.


	2. Training

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Chapter One - Training

(One month later)

The twin suns of Terrasei shone brightly on the mild winter's day, their light suddenly blotted out by a thick cloud of dust and rock debris as something collided with one of the many rock formations dotting the countryside with a force equivalent to that of a nuclear warhead.

The collapsed rock shuddered slightly then exploded in all directions as a small figure burst from the debris. Her fiery red hair, not unlike the colour of a bonfire waved in the slight breeze and she turned to regard her opponent, amusement twinkling in her chocolate coloured eyes. He wasn't even paying attention to her, quite obviously contemplating something very important or troubling, as his brow was furrowed in deep lines of thought. Chielle smirked; she knew that look all too well and his lack of attention was a mistake that would cost him dearly.

Unaware of Chi's quick escape and of the fact that she was now creeping up on him trying for a sneak attack, Daemon leaned against a large boulder and frowned. For the past month he'd had that same nightmare over and over. But lately it was becoming more vivid more, more real and Daemon dreaded the day when it would come to pass…especially the part about his dearest child. And speaking of his daughter…

His musing was suddenly broken by a hard punch to his jaw followed by an equally hard kick to the ribs, not enough to damage; Chi always held back her full strength because she didn't wish to harm her father, but her blow had definitely been enough to bruise and Daemon couldn't help wincing slightly.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk daddy," Chielle scolded as she landed gracefully a few feet away, her arms folded across her chest and a candid grin on her face, despite her chiding. "You told me that you should know where your opponent is at all times, what were you doing?"

"I was thinking that you ran home crying like you did the last time we trained." Daemon shot back, fully focused on her now, and Chielle scowled.

"I…DID…NOT…CRY!" she yelled back at him, her anger growing noticeably.

"You ran home crying like a baby," Daemon said calculatedly, watching her and her rapidly changing mood extremely carefully.

Chielle snarled and raised a fist then charged at Daemon as fast as she could (and with her being the fastest person on Terrasei, that was pretty damn fast). Daemon stood his ground until the last possible second then grabbed her outstretched wrist and flipped her to the ground – hard, with enough force to cause bruising and wind her a little, but no more. "First lesson of today my daughter. NEVER attack in anger, no matter how much your opponent taunts you or abuses you. You must remain calm and focused within a battle at all times. Always remember Chi – an angry enemy makes mistakes. Now, are you ready for more or have you had enough for today?"

Chielle jumped quickly to her feet, her young, resilient body having recovered quickly from her impact with the ground. "I'm always ready for more," she stated confidently, slipping into a fighting stance. _Just like a true Saiyajin,_ Daemon thought. _Your grandfather would've been proud._ "Ok then come at me with everything you've got."

Chielle charged her dad again but this time before he grabbed her wrist to flip her she disappeared and reappeared behind him, grabbing him in a tight chokehold.

"Not bad" Daemon admitted, "But did you expect this?" he asked, deliberately falling backwards so that Chielle was caught between him and the ground, dislodging her iron grip around his throat. Daemon rolled off to one side and stood. "Lesson number two Chielle, ALWAYS use your head. No matter how fast or powerful your opponent is, they can ALWAYS be outsmarted. You have a brain, put it to good use on the battlefield and you will always triumph. Remember, power is what matters in battle, and knowledge is definitely power!"

Daemon smiled at his daughter, reaching down to help her up just as Chayla called them from inside the house.

"Are you two planning on training ALL day? Lunch is ready and Chielle I want to go over those songs for the concert with you." She demanded, somewhat peevishly as she appeared in the doorway, her hands on her hips.

"Coming dear!" Daemon called back and Chayla disappeared back inside. "Good work today Chielle, you are progressing very nicely indeed. You're going to be a first class warrior, mark my words, and tomorrow I will teach you some useful fighting combos and I will attempt to teach you a few energy waves. But for now…I'm starving!" He declared and his stomach echoed the sentiment by grumbling loudly.

Chielle smiled tolerantly. "You're always starving Otousan!" she joked, punching Daemon playfully on the arm. He captured her outstretched wrist and flipped her to his shoulder, grinning as she kicked and punched ineffectually at his ribs and back.

With Chi still captive on his shoulder, Daemon headed inside the house and dumped Chi roughly in her seat before moving to take his place at the table. Chi scowled at her father before sticking her tongue out at him and Daemon regarded her gravely for a moment before returning the gesture…as well as crossing his eyes.

Chi giggled and screwed up her face, as she enthusiastically tried to outdo her father in the impromptu funny-faces competition. Chayla whirled around from where she was dishing up the lunch and upon seeing the expressions being exchanged, threw her hands helplessly up into the air as she exclaimed, "Oh for goodness sakes! Don't you two ever give it a rest!" Chielle and Daemon looked at each other for a split second before they both shook their heads and replied at the same time;

"Nope!"

Chayla rolled her eyes. "Well could you two at least try and cut it out until lunch is finished?" She gave them both a quelling glare and they both lowered their eyes, managing somehow to look contrite.

"Yes dear."

"Yes Kaa-san."

"Good."

Happy at managing to wring that concession out of them at the very least, Chayla set their lunch in front of them, Chielle and Daemon both attacking their plates like half-starved wolverines. _Well it is to be expected I suppose_ Chayla thought as she turned back to the bench to serve herself some lunch. _They were working pretty hard all morning, so it's really no wonder they're so hungry now. I just hope that Daemon knows what he's doing, training her so young. This planet was supposed to be a new beginning for us both, and for Chielle. We were to abandon the saiyajin traditions and adopt those of the Earthlings whom we now reside amongst. These humans have no real ki to speak of, so they do not train their young in the martial arts as early as the saiyajin did. In fact, hardly any of them train their young to fight at all. A generally peaceful race indeed, though of course there are those few violent individuals…and some of those who have too much power and desire more. Fortunately Daemon took control of this planet, so there is no danger of some power-hungry idiot starting a civil war. One thing to be grateful for I suppose…_

As soon as Chayla's back was turned and she was lost within the silence of her mournful thoughts, Chi and Daemon were back at their previous antics, except this time, they were pantomiming insults at one another.

When Chayla turned around and saw what the two were up to, she cleared her throat significantly, setting her plate on the table so she could plant her hands on her hips in order to give added effect to the cold glare she was shooting in their direction – as well as to the foot tapping irritably on the floor. They both froze mid-gesture, glanced once at Chayla's stern expression out of the corners of their eyes before turning their attention hurriedly back to their food. As Chayla settled herself at the table, Chielle gave her father a tentative smile around her sandwich and Daemon winked back at her.

As was expected, Chayla's sharp eyes picked up on those gestures and she rolled her eyes, sighing heavily once more.

"Another average afternoon in the Asaki household I see." She commented theatrically, yet almost acidly, as picked up her knife and began buttering her bread.

"And you wouldn't have it any other way dear." Daemon smirked. Chi, unable to reply with her mouth full of food merely nodded her agreement and grinned impishly at her mother.

"I suppose you're right." Chayla conceded. "I definitely wouldn't have things any other way. Life is just perfect, right the way it is now."

At those words Daemon looked away and muttered, "nothing is perfect" before turning his attention back to his lunch. Because he knew it wouldn't last. Perfection, whether real or imagined, never lasted.


	3. Rehearsal

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Chapter Two – Rehearsal

(4 months later)

The performance hall swelled with the many voices of the Terrasei junior choir raised in song, Chielle leading the group with a strong soprano, and Chayla standing slightly to the right conducting, weaving the group into a melodious harmony with her hands. The voices rose in a final crescendo then trailed off into a distinct silence that was promptly broken by Chayla's enthusiastic clapping. "Splendid work everyone, you're sounding absolutely fantastic! Remember that there is no official scheduled rehearsal tomorrow due to the start of the spring festivities but I want you all here at 5pm for a last minute rehearsal for the concert at 6pm. Attendance is mandatory, no attendance, no performing. That'll be all everyone, off you go and enjoy yourselves!"

Loud cheers and whistles came from the group as they moved towards the exit. The Spring Equinox was everyone's favourite holiday. It was a week-long holiday in remembrance of when people first colonised the beautiful planet of Terrasei and of the original planet Earth that they had left behind. There were story tellers, games, carnivals and always a pageant that re-enacted when man first arrived on Terrasei. Chayla was the president of the holiday committee responsible for organising the festivities and the leader of the choir that always provided the musical accompaniment to the pageant as well as several other musical items.

Peering at the throng milling around her as Chayla suddenly reached out and hauled her daughter back by the collar of her shirt. "You can't leave just yet Chi, I'd like to go over your solo a few more times if you don't mind." Chi glanced at her friends who had stopped to wait for her, then looked back at her mother and sighed slightly. "Ok kaa-san, I guess I have the time to go over it a few more times, though I don't really see the point, I know all the words and I'm time perfect."

"And modest too I see" Chayla murmured. Chi blushed and said no more, her mother's mild reproach effectively putting her in her place.

"Sorry, I never told you, all I wanted to say. But now it's too late to hold you, cos you've flown away, so far away. Never had I imagined, living without your smile. Feeling, knowing you hear me, it keeps me alive, alive." Chi's voice carried strongly around the performance hall and she was utterly oblivious to the world around her, completely carried away by the music.

Chayla, half-listening to Chi's tone and pitch, leaned back slightly and studied the young girl thoughtfully, regarding her as if she weren't her daughter. Daemon, after much nagging on her part had told her about his dreams and Chayla, though now knowing the necessity for Chielle's training, still didn't like it. No matter how objectively she looked at the subject, she knew that Chi was still only a child. She shouldn't have such knowledge of the battlefield! It was making her grow up all too soon when she should still be playing and laughing with her friends and indulging in childhood games of the imagination.

And to be completely honest, the speed at which Chielle was learning and the abilities that she instinctively knew scared Chayla. Of course she was a saiyajin and fighting was in her blood but she had mastered the energy waves that Daemon had taught her in a surprisingly short amount of time and her pure physical speed was faster than anything Chayla had EVER seen before. Of course not all of Chi's abilities bothered Chayla. Like Chielle's accelerated healing and her ability to heal others. Chi healed 100 times faster than any human and whenever someone hurt themselves it was as if Chi felt their pain as if it were her own and all she had to do was reach out and take their hand and their pain would disappear instantly, as if it had never existed at all.

"Sorry, I never told you, all I wanted to say…" Chielle finished strongly, holding the high, pure note which she slowly allowed to fade away. She smiled as she opened her eyes and looked at her mother who nodded approvingly. "Now…again!" Chi couldn't help groaning – this was the fifth or sixth time that her mother had insisted on going through the song! Still, whatever made her mother happy…

Sighing slightly, Chi drew in a deep breath and started once more from the top.


	4. Innocence Lost

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Chapter Three - Innocence Lost

Once again Chielle let herself get swept away by the music, half-closing her eyes in concentration to make every note sure and true and this time Chayla let it carry her away too. Thus it was that neither of them heard the frenzied footsteps running down the hall or the panicked screaming from outside…didn't notice that is, until it was too late.

They were snapped back to reality by the sound of hollow clapping, which echoed chillingly around the large, domed hall. Chayla frowned and edged backwards, closer to Chielle, raising one arm as if to protect her daughter from whatever menace stalked them from the gloom beyond the stage lights.

A figure walked towards them their face a mask of maliciousness and evil that drove splinters of ice-cold fear into Chi's heart, causing her to take an involuntary step backwards...an act that unwittingly saved her life. Chayla hissed at the stranger and her expression deepened into a full-blown scowl as she raised her fists, looking like she was preparing to fight. Chielle looked sharply between the two and couldn't help but blink at the way Chayla was behaving – her kaa-san acted almost as if she knew the stranger!

For several moments the two of them just stood there, eyes locked, expressions grim, measuring each other up in their silent deadlock. Then the alien smirked and raised a hand.

It was all over in a heartbeat. Chayla barely had time to gasp as the alien's three-pronged attack hit home, one beam piercing her stomach, one hitting her in the chest and the last severing her neck. All three beams went right through Chayla and would've hit Chi as well – if it hadn't been for that half-step she had taken away from her mother just before. Chayla collapsed backwards into Chielle's arms, the blood gushing freely from the deep wounds in a bright torrent that stained Chi's clothing a deep, patchy red in a matter of seconds.

Chayla's mouth opened and closed a few times as though she was trying to tell Chi something, but because of the wound in her throat, Chayla's lungs were filling rapidly with her own blood and she was having enough trouble trying to pull in enough air to breathe, let alone speak. Her forehead creased with pain and frustration, Chayla finally managed to force out a single word, weak, no more than a breath, but nevertheless it carried the full weight of Chayla's authority as a mother…"Run!"

Then with a final stricken look at her daughter and a long gurgling sigh, Chayla succumbed to her mortal wounds and gave in to the insistent pull of death.

"Kaa-san?" Chielle whispered shaking her softly. "KAA-SAN!" she screamed lifting her head to glare at the stranger who still stood there smirking. He raised a hand again, but this time his attack got no further than that. Frieza suddenly keeled over as Chielle drove her knee into his gut and slammed her elbow into the back of his head with all her might. Then, faster than anyone could blink, she was running out the door and down the hall in a mad dash for the exit.

The alien rubbed the back of his head and scowled, the little girl hadn't seemed like much, but she had actually packed quite a punch for one so young. "The little creature attacked me!" he complained petulantly. A low laugh sounded from behind them and a green-haired man walked out of the darkness to stand beside the alien.

His eyes flicked to the mangled corpse onstage, lying there in a pool of slowly-congealing blood, the stage lights illuminating it as though it was the grisly end to some horrific play. "Well what did you expect mighty Frieza? You did just kill her mother after all." He asked mildly, dragging his eyes away from the gory scene onstage and back to the livid tyrant.

"So? She should've been paralysed with terror, not ready to attack!" The green-haired man known as Zarbon smirked slightly. "So obviously she's either very brave, very stupid, a warrior or all of the above. But don't worry about her Frieza…I'm sure the Ginyus can handle her."

Chielle sprinted outside as fast as her legs could take her. The moment she ran out the door into the street she was assaulted by a wave of agony that was more intense than anything she had felt before. Even at the hospital she had never felt anything like this. Blinking back the tears that sprang to her eyes, Chielle pushed the pain she vicariously felt to the back of her mind and analysed the scenario she had stumbled into.

The dead and dying lay everywhere and the gutters ran red with a bright river of blood. Those still able to run did, screaming in terror until they were cut down by one of the strange alien's soldiers. Chielle's eyes came to rest on a bloody, mangled corpse in the middle of the street, still partly recognisable as a little girl about Chi's age and Chi choked back a sob as she identified her best friend Chelsea.

Red, everything was red, the streets, the buildings, everything was painted with the sticky substance that was once a part of a thriving population, painted red from the carnage of innocent people. Now the streets were as silent as the death that haunted them, it's pernicious stench hanging onerously in the hauntingly-still air.

In a great rush all the pain that she had pushed aside came back and Chielle threw back her head and howled – an ear-splitting wail full of pain and despair that resounded down the wide main streets and through the darkened alleys, and for a moment, just an instant, death retreated, fearing to tread in the path of one who was well and truly living...and well and truly pissed off.

Instinctively Chi powered up, her pain and losses making her ki grow all the more. Long tongues of flame blazed up in a bright aura around her, her eyes smouldered, and her flame lit up the darkened street, its heat causing the air around her to shimmer dangerously.

When she had gathered her energy, Chi walked down the road, leaving some of the carnage behind her as her eyes searched the streets and alleyways, darting from side to side, flicking everywhere, searching desperately for someone, her heart desperately hoping that they were still alive.

She found him half-conscious in a deserted alley surrounded by a pool of his own blood that was slowly oozing from numerous wounds all over his body. He was barely alive and the sight of him caused her to freeze in the mouth of the alley, staring numbly at him, her hands hanging helplessly at her sides.

A member of the Ginyu force swooped overhead and blinked as he saw the little girl and her flickering aura of fire. His expression quickly became smug and he activated the com-link on his scouter. "Hey captain…I've found the girl Zarbon warned us about…and oh boy, you've gotta see this!"

"Otousan!" Chielle cried, shaking off her shock and running to his side. She pressed two fingers to his throat and her eyes lit up with hope when she felt the faint fluttering of his pulse beneath her fingertips. Daemon swallowed heavily as he roused at her touch, realising who it was and raising a bloodstained hand to gently touch Chielle's cheek. "My daughter" he whispered. "My precious child. Please…save yourself, you must survive…save yourself. Go to the spaceport, get a pod, escape while you can!"

"But what about you Otousan?" Chielle asked, tears filling her eyes.

"I…I am dead anyway…be strong Chielle, stay focused. I…I love you…"

"NO! Otousan don't talk like that! If I must go I won't leave without you! I WON'T let you die!" Chielle cried, her hands glowing with an intense healing light as she blinked back the unshed tears that threatened to blind her. She ran this light over Daemon's wounds, determined to make him survive, her mother may be dead but her dad WOULD survive, he just HAD to! She couldn't lose both her parents in one day, she just couldn't! Daemon reached up and feebly tried to bat her hands away. "No Chielle…my…my dream…save yourself! Don't fall into their hands!"

"Dream? What dream? Don't fall into whose hands?" she asked, temporarily lowering her arms, her eyes wide with bewilderment.

Daemon opened his mouth to answer her but was cut off by an evil laugh from the sky above them, followed by a snide comment. "Well, well, well what do we have here men? A fallen leader and a little girlie that thinks she's a warrior." Chielle whipped around to face those mocking her and her power level increased even more with the brief surge of anger that flooded over her.

"Oh I think the pretty little thing wants to fight us," the leader sneered as his scouter registered the change. Chielle narrowed her eyes at him, staying calm and focused and keeping her anger at bay. He was nearly twice her height (as were the rest of his men), lean but muscular, with unwholesome looking green skin surmounted by a shock of messy orange hair. The one thing she noticed almost immediately though, was the way he held himself with a definite air of self-assured confidence.

__

Ah there is his weakness Chielle thought smugly, _he is cocky and overconfident, that will surely be his downfall. Now as for the rest…_Chielle's scrutiny turned to the rest of the group and she picked out obvious strengths and weaknesses in a glance. _Hmm…they're strong but strength isn't everything, I'm much faster than they are and if it does come down to a confrontation then I should be able to beat them…it'll take everything I've got but I have to believe in myself!_

"Captain Ginyu may I have the honour of disposing of this little pest?" One man asked stepping forward with a bow. "Of course you may Purtan," Ginyu agreed pleasantly, "Show her what the Ginyu force is made of!" Purtan smirked at Chielle and raised his fists. Chielle stretched her shoulders briefly before mimicking the gesture and Purtan cocked his head arrogantly. "Ladies first" he said mockingly and Chielle smiled and rushed to the attack. He watched her but his smirk quickly turned into a look of shock as she disappeared and reappeared faster than he could blink. He fired a few ki blasts at her but none hit their mark…in fact none of them were anywhere close to hitting her. "DAMMIT stand still you little worm!" he cried with frustration, firing off another round of blasts.

"Whatever you say," Chielle replied amicably, coming to a stop behind him and kicking him in the back, sending him flying into a nearby building.

Purtan pulled himself from the rubble and charged at Chi, his fist raised to strike but Chi dodged nimbly to one side and aimed another kick at his arm. He turned quickly and grabbed her by the outstretched ankle and slammed her roughly to the ground, knocking the air out of her lungs. As she lay there struggling to fill her lungs with air, he lifted his foot and brought it down on her ribs…hard.

There was a sickening crack as several of the delicate bones snapped with the blow, causing Chielle to scream and savagely lash out with her foot, aiming a solid kick at his leg, connecting, and she felt the bone in his lower leg snap satisfyingly with the blow. He groaned and staggered backwards, giving Chi the opportunity she needed to climb back to her feet and restart the battle.

Taking advantage of Purtan's momentary lapse in concentration, Chi punched him squarely in the jaw, her hand instinctively surrounded by scorching, blazing ki, causing him to reel backwards with the pain as it struck. But he wasn't out of the fight yet as Chi was to discover. She suddenly cried out as hot fire laced across her cheek and shoulder, searing the skin and biting deep, the hot blood flowing freely down her face, the pain almost blinding.

Purtan smiled as his ki blast hit and once again he pressed the attack, thinking to end the fight once and for all. When her vision cleared enough for her to see his furious charge, Chielle concentrated on her power, her instincts taking over and the fire surrounding her blazed up dangerously. She channelled her energy into the flames, pulling them under her conscious control and in that one instant Chi's dominance over fire became total and she became complete master of the element.

Purtan's attack slowed then stopped completely as a wall of fire sprang up in his path. He faltered and the look in his eyes became panicked. _Now is the time to end it_ something ominous whispered darkly in Chi's mind. _End it now…for the good of the planet…_

Chi looked at Purtan and once again she tapped into the instinctual knowledge that lay deep within herself. Her hand glowed an angry red and she shouted "Zenzouken Beam!" before firing the deadly blast at her opponent. Purtan's eyes widened as the narrow beam hit, piercing his heart, then he slumped forward, lifeless, bright blood gushing from his mouth and mixing with the blood already staining Chi's hands and clothing. Chielle just stood there for a long while, staring numbly at his corpse sprawled at her feet as the implications of her actions sank in. _Oh my Kami what have I done?_ She finally asked herself.

__

Something that can never be undone that smug, whispering voice told her from deep within her mind. _And there will be many more killings like this to come..._


	5. A Battle Won, A War Lost

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Chapter Four - A battle won, a war lost…

Captain Ginyu blinked in astonishment at the fallen form of his colleague then looked back at Chielle who just stood there, staring at Purtan's corpse, admiring her handiwork. Well he'd teach the little brat a thing or two. She would regret ever thinking that she was a match for the Ginyu Force – the most powerful and feared fighting force in the entire universe! "Why you…you'll pay for that! Recoome…Burta get her!" The two rushed forward in an effort to double team the young warrior but she easily dodged their many attacks and instead of hitting her, the two wound up hitting each other!

As they pummelled away at one another, Chi watched them for a moment, a stunned expression on her face at their idiocy. Shaking her head, Chielle whistled to get their attention an idea to deal with them quickly and easily forming from the instinctual battle knowledge that had filled her mind. She was so totally caught in the heat of battle, and the knowledge that had been dredged up from the back of her mind felt so right that Chi was almost scared of it, scared of what it may make her become. Shaking her head sharply to clear her mind of that irrelevant thought, Chi noticed that she now had Recoome and Burta's undivided attention and gathered in energy as she prepared her next move, the ki beginning to flicker ominously around her hands.

"Hey morons! Watch this! STUN FLASH!" A bright blaze of multicoloured light that she launched from her outspread fingers surrounded the pair and they fell to the ground in quivering, paralysed heaps, thoroughly dazed by the intensely coloured ki. Chielle landed beside them and kicked them both solidly in the head, just behind their ears, knocking them unconscious so that there was no chance of them getting up anytime soon for a rematch.

She turned and half-bowed to Captain Ginyu. "I certainly hope you can put up a better fight than those three. I'd hate to find out that they were the cream of the Ginyu Force." Ginyu scowled at her then answered,

"They're just rookies, I'm the leader because of my superior fighting skills, grace and leadership qualities."

"And also because you have the biggest ego" Chielle said insultingly.

"Why you…you'll pay for that remark!"

"So you said when you set those two on me," Chielle said pointing at the unconscious Recoome and Burta. "And so far I have yet to pay for what I've said and done and I've barely broken a sweat. Perhaps you should give up now and spare yourself the humiliation of being beaten by a six-year-old child." She was bluffing. Her chest ached and her cheek felt as though the skin was tearing away from her face…but then, how was that tall, egotistical psychopath to know that? Her words hit home as Ginyu snarled at her, his frown deepening even more.

__

Good get angry with me Chielle thought. She knew that Ginyu was far superior to those she had fought before and she knew that her only chance of victory was hinging on her being able to make him angry enough to make big mistakes. "I mean I'm only a child" Chielle went on. "Barely half your height and I've already defeated three of your men. How's that going to look in the great Ginyu Force history books?"

That did it. With a roar Ginyu let his anger consume him and he leapt to attack Chi, two blazing balls of ki narrowly missing her head. As she dodged the blasts, Ginyu ducked around behind her, bringing his knee up and hitting her in the middle of the back, throwing her forward a few paces. She caught herself mid-air and turned sharply aiming a punch at Ginyu's face but she mistimed it and it bounced off the heavy armour protecting his shoulder. This didn't faze her for a moment, her heart was beating too fiercely and her blood was too much afire with battle lust for her to even consider backing down. As Ginyu punched downwards trying to hit her toward the ground, she ducked his fist and drove her knee into his groin, causing him to groan and double over. She dashed around behind him, kicking him savagely in the back and Ginyu went sprawling face-first into the ground, ploughing a fairly deep trench while he was at it.

Quickly, before he could recover, Chi was upon him, planting one foot solidly in the middle of his back and wrenching his arms back behind him, pulling them painfully in their sockets. The other foot she placed firmly on the back of his head and applied pressure so that his face remained half-buried in the dirt. Of what to do next Chi was uncertain. Ginyu shook with rage beneath her and Chi knew that it was only a matter of time before his anger gave him the strength or intelligence to dislodge her - and then she was done for.

Someone chuckled nearby and Chi's head snapped around in all directions trying to identify where the noise had come from, her grip on Ginyu in no way lessening.

"As amusing as this scene is I'm afraid I'm going to have to intervene. Now, now Ginyu you were supposed to kill the little monster not play games with her."

Ginyu said something that was made incomprehensible by the dirt his face was held in, but his tone made it blatantly obvious that he was cursing. "What language to use Ginyu," the strange man said from where he was hidden, amusement still colouring his tone. "I'm here to help you…but if you want to try to get out of this predicament you've landed yourself in, by all means don't let me stop you." Ginyu howled with rage and managed to lift his face out of the dirt enough to make his words understandable. "It's not funny Zarbon! Now if you're going to help me you self-absorbed pretty-boy then help me or else get lost and let me deal with this! And where the hell is Guldo!"

"You really must excuse Ginyu my dear," Zarbon said jovially as he started forward out of where he'd previously been concealed, dragging something behind him…though Chi couldn't quite make out what it was. "His pride won't allow him to admit that he needs help to get out of this situation and it certainly won't let him admit that he was beaten by a child - a girl no less. And Guldo's currently off freezing the population and spearing them with pieces of the landscape," he answered belatedly as if only just realising that Ginyu had asked him a question. Chielle's eyes narrowed suspiciously at Zarbon and her grip on Ginyu's arms tightened fractionally.

"So why help him? If he's as pathetic as you say then why save his sorry hide?"

"Unfortunately my dear we serve a higher power and that master has commanded me to save him because for the time being he is useful to that master and so I have been ordered, so I must obey. Now I'm going to make this simple, release Ginyu or else…" and Zarbon held Daemon up for Chielle to see. "…He dies." Chielle growled low in her throat, her grip on Ginyu's arms shifting slightly as she flexed her fingers, "That's blackmail!"

"Of course it is…now are you going to release Ginyu or not?"

Reluctantly Chielle relinquished her hold on Ginyu and stepped back, keeping her eyes locked on the green-haired man as the leader of the Ginyus clambered back to his feet and rubbed his sore arms, glaring at Chi. Zarbon smirked at her, a superior sort of gesture that made Chi's blood begin to boil, it was just so, so patronising!

"That's a good girl…now as for him…" Zarbon raised a glowing hand to Daemon's throat and with a flash of ki severed his head cleanly from his neck. Chielle retched and turned away, utterly sickened by the sight of the blood dripping from her father's severed neck, though even that didn't help, the image seemed to be branded into the insides of her eyelids. Fast as lightning, Chi composed herself, turning back and charging at Zarbon with all her speed, her hands outstretched like talons, aiming for his throat, oh how she longed to wrap her hands around his throat and strangle the life out of him. "YOU MONSTER! YOU KILLED MY OTOUSAN!" She screamed at him as she neared her goal, her fingers twitching in anticipation. Part of her wondered absently why he was just standing his ground and advised caution, but it was drowned out by the animalistic rage that had seized hold of her mind.

Zarbon coolly watched her approach then, grabbing her by the front of her shirt, delivered a swift uppercut to her jaw, the strength of it enough to rattle her brains and knock Chi unconscious. As her mind descended into blackness, Chi went as limp as a rag-doll and collapsed the ground in an unceremonious heap as Zarbon casually let go of her shirt.

"Excellent work Zarbon, looks like you got the little gaki." Zarbon smiled.

"Thank you mighty Frieza. Should I kill her now? Or perhaps you would like the honour? She did attack you after all."

"No…neither. I want to keep her alive. I can see that she has a lot of untamed power inside her, an extraordinary phenomenon in one so young. With the right training and guidance who knows what she'll become. Yes she has a lot of potential that can be put to good use."

"You want to turn her into another Vegeta!" Zarbon's expression was both shocked and disdainful.

"Exactly…but unlike Vegeta she'll be completely obedient and loyal. She'll be the perfect minion."

"Because you know what mistakes you made with Vegeta and know what to do to avoid making the same mistakes with her?" Zarbon said aloud as he realised what Frieza was talking about and saw the big picture that Frieza had in mind.

"Yes, Vegeta was only the experimental stage. This girl shall be the final…masterpiece if you will." Frieza looked down at Chielle's unconscious form, a possessive smile spreading across his face. "The final masterpiece" he whispered smugly. "The perfect minion!"

"Um excuse me?" Ginyu interrupted, his expression disgusted. "You want to keep the little monster? Have you forgotten that that creature killed one of my men, in fact one of the best men on my squad!"

"Exactly." Frieza nearly purred. "If she can kill one of your men and defeat another two…and you with very little effort, then her strength must be phenomenal!" He reached out and lightly stroked her face, staining his fingers with the blood that was still seeping slowly out of the wound that Purtan had given her, that smug smile still plastered on his face. "Yes, she will be everything the perfect slave is supposed to be, strong and obedient…and completely and utterly loyal."

Ginyu opened and closed his mouth, shaking with a near apoplectic rage.

"You can't be serious Frieza!" He choked. "Surely you don't believe you can actually tame the little beast! All she deserves is death!"

"You forget your place Ginyu." Frieza snarled dangerously. "It's my choice as to whether or not she lives or dies and right now, I choose to keep her. Besides, if Purtan was stupid enough to get himself killed by a mere child, then he obviously was in need of replacing anyway. So why don't you stop sulking and pick a new Ginyu Force member from that large group of candidates that you insist on keeping around."

"But you wouldn't believe how long the auditions take. Picking a replacement Ginyu is no easy task Frieza, you should know that by now." He folded his arms stubbornly and glared at Chi. "I'd much rather you just kill her."

"Well I'm not going to, so stop whining, it's beginning to grate. You know Ginyu, I could spare you the trouble of picking a new team-member."

"You could?" Ginyu's expression was wary. "How?"

"By assigning the girl to your squad." Frieza answered with an infuriating smirk.

"NANI! No way! I refuse to work with the little monstrosity!"

"Fine, then leave her be and stop moaning. I'm sure if you leave her alone Ginyu, then I'm sure she'll be quite content to stay out of your way."

Scowling, Ginyu whirled around briskly and aimed a brutal kick at the unconscious Chi's side…only to have it blocked by Zarbon's arm.

"You heard what Frieza said Ginyu." Zarbon told him, his eyes glittering with malice. "Leave the girl alone."

Glaring at his most hated rival, Ginyu turned on his heel and stormed off in search of Guldo, muttering something about, "Folly, a waste of time and madness" under his breath."

Frieza watched him go calmly, his eyes eventually travelling back to Chi's peaceful face. Madness? A folly to train her? Perhaps it was, but Frieza had a fairly good idea that the girl would aspire to prove Ginyu wrong.


	6. Planet's End

****

Chapter Five - Planet's End

A hard, sharp kick to her stomach jerked Chi back into consciousness. "Wake up gaki, your master has something to show you," a harsh voice commanded roughly. Chi sat up and blinked a few times to get her eyes to focus while one hand rubbed her bruised and swollen jaw. "Huh? Master…something to show me? What the heck are you talking about?"

"Come on! When dealing with the mighty Frieza it's best not to keep him waiting. He has a…short temper at best." The speaker said, hauling her to her feet roughly by the collar of her shirt.

Chi could see clearly now and she recognised the person who had kicked her as the man who'd killed her father. Her expression became cold and she marched beside him in silence down the long, dark metallic hallway. She couldn't help but notice that she felt much lighter than usual and puzzled at that in the back of her mind all through the long trek through the maze of dimly-lit, twisting, turning passages.

They eventually came to a set of double doors that slid aside with a hiss at their approach. This room was brightly lit and dominated by a thick window of plasglass looking out into…space! _So that's why I feel so much lighter_ Chielle realised. _I'm out in space…and there! That's Terrasei…wow, it looks so different from up here…so beautiful…almost serene._

Chielle tore her gaze away from the window and stopped musing long enough to take a good look around the room. Men sat at consoles alive with blinking lights and messages, and the room was filled with the squawking of two-way intercoms, shouted orders and attention buzzers. This was truly the heart of the entire ship and Chi stood there as the noise and movement went on all around her, her mouth hanging open slightly as she was more than a little overwhelmed by the whole commotion.

Someone tapped her shoulder and Chi snapped out of her bewilderment and looked up at Zarbon. "Stop catching flies and go stand over there out of the way," he ordered, pointing at a spot right next to the giant window into space. Chielle briefly tossed around the idea of disobeying but thought better of it and did as she was told, moving to go and stand next to the plasglass. It was cool to the touch when Chi rested her hands lightly upon it, staring thoughtfully at Terrasei and wondering vaguely whether or not anyone had survived the massacre that had occurred, wondering if even now there were groups of people hiding in the caverns near the main township.

"She's here mighty Frieza" Zarbon said into a headset, carefully watching the girl who was staring into space, lost in the mystery of her own thoughts. "We're ready for the show!"

The space around Terrasei glowed a furious red and Chielle frowned and pushed her face fully to the glass in an effort to better see what was going on. Later, she wished she hadn't. Chi blinked as she saw Frieza and gasped as she saw the ball of seething energy above his head, knowing without any idea how she did it, what the tyrant fully intended to do. She saw him turn his face towards her and she saw his malicious smirk further confirm his evil purpose. Chi took a step backwards, away from the window, and away from Frieza's smug expression, bumping into two men who had moved up behind her while she had been staring into space. They each placed a heavy hand on her shoulders and pushed her back to her previous position.

Helpless, Chi watched, her heart in her throat as Frieza's smile broadened and he launched the energy ball at Terrasei. Time seemed suspended, happening only in disjointed bits and pieces. The only sounds Chielle could hear were the pounding of her heart and her own shallow breathing, all other sounds subdued to an almost inaudible frequency. She drew in a deep breath as the energy ball hit Terrasei but for a split second, nothing happened. Then the planet itself seemed to convulse as Frieza's attack breached its core. Fountains of magma and molten rock spewed forth from the planet's crust as building pressure destroyed the planet from the inside out. Then with a roar, like a tidal wave pounding itself into oblivion upon an unprotected shore, time flowed normally again, and all the sounds that had been previously muted came crashing in on her, with their previous volume…and then some, the sound thundering in her ears at an almost deafening level.

"NO!" Chi gagged slightly, unaware that the blood-curdling scream that echoed faintly in her ears below the noise of the control room had been her own. She tried vainly to turn away from the sight in front of her but the men standing beside her tightened their grips coldly, painfully on her shoulders, restraining her and making it impossible for her to escape witnessing Frieza's deed. So she forced back the emotions that threatened to choke her, the emotions crushing her chest and stood proud and strong at the window, refusing to close her eyes, refusing to look away. She owed it to the millions of people who had just had their lives unfairly stolen from them, owed it to her parents for their deaths and she owed it to herself because, of all the people on Terrasei she still lived. She still lived to witness the destruction of her beautiful home world, to witness…and remember.

Thus it was that Chi stood by and watched the destruction of her home. The destruction of everything that she had ever known, ever loved - all obliterated in an instant. Thus it was that Chielle stood where she was until the light from Terrasei's destruction had faded and the debris floated away to be lost amongst the stars. Only then did the two men drop their hands from her shoulders and left to resume their normal duties. With an almost primal roar, Chi struck the reinforced glass with all her might, aiming to shatter it and let herself get sucked out into the airless void beyond, so that she might join her family and friends in the blessed void of oblivion. But for all the strength she possessed, for all the power she threw at the plasglass, she left no mark and the surface stood as unwavering as a fortress.

Death was denied her.

So silently Chi vowed to herself that Terrasei's destruction would never be forgotten and would not go unavenged, she promised it fervently inside the deepest parts of her mind as her hands curled into tight fists against the window as she gasped for air, her chest heaving with the intensity of her emotions. But despite the fact that her heart felt like it was being torn to pieces within her chest…she couldn't shed a single tear. With a choked sob, Chi finally turned away from the window and staggered towards the exit, slowing when she saw that Zarbon stood in her path, scowling down at her.

"How is it that you have just witnessed the destruction of your entire life and not shed a single tear?" he demanded of her peering at her suspiciously. Chielle looked at him and shrugged indifferently not wanting him to know how much she was hurting inside, how much she loathed life at that moment in time – and how much she secretly longed for death.

"What's the use in crying?" She finally answered in a cold tone that surprised even her. "Will tears bring back the planet? Will tears restore the life of my family and friends? Will tears undo what has been done? No, so there's no point in crying over what cannot be changed." But Chielle knew her words to be a lie and as she pushed past him she felt hot tears finally fill her eyes and overflow, winding their way down her cheeks, despite her desperate efforts to hold them back. She folded her arms tightly across her chest but realised the folly of this action as one of her broken ribs bit deeply into her chest. Her eyes widened as fiery pain shot through her chest and she doubled over in an attempt to alleviate the pressure on her lungs. But that turned out to be an even bigger mistake as the broken rib pushed ruthlessly deeper, causing the girl to cough up a bit of blood; swaying unsteadily on her feet as the pain finally pushed her over the edge into the blessed nothingness of unconsciousness.


	7. First Encounter

****

Chapter Six - First Encounter

Zarbon stood concealed in the shadows, watching, waiting, his eyes locked on the motionless form of the little girl who had impressed Frieza enough to have him take her as his protégé. She sighed slightly then sat bolt upright on the infirmary bed, crying out "OTOUSAN!" in such a heart wrenching tone that even Zarbon couldn't help but cringe slightly. Her hands, which had been outstretched pleadingly, dropped listlessly to her sides as she took in her surroundings and regained her bearings.

"So, finally awake are you?" Zarbon asked as he strode forward into the light, his cape swirling dramatically around his ankles. Zarbon had always been one for appearances after all. It was what had kept him alive so long, he was as clever and smooth as he looked, as the little brat was sure to soon find out. She gasped with surprise at his sudden appearance but jumped quickly to her feet, and slipped into an aggressive stance, her face set in grim determination; anger and hatred blazing in her eyes.

Zarbon, to her complete and utter surprise threw back his head and laughed. "Oh I like you gaki…you just don't know when to quit. You've seen the destruction of your entire life yet you still have some fighting spirit left. Admirable, but it makes me curious as to how long it'll last. Oh dear, where are my manners? I completely forgot to introduce myself properly. I am Zarbon, right hand of Frieza." He gave Chi a slight bow, which she acknowledged with a cold nod of her head.

"Chielle Asaki of the planet Terrasei."

"Formerly of Terrasei you mean." He reminded her and she scowled.

"Yes, formerly of Terrasei." She spat, turning away from him slightly. "Which means I am just Chi now."

"Now don't start wallowing in self-pity gaki, I won't allow it. It's an honour that Frieza chose you as his protégé, don't degrade it." Chi bowed her head deferentially,

"As you command sir." Zarbon arched an eyebrow at her.

"I don't think I'm ever going to understand you gaki. First you're all feisty and defiant and now you're sullen and obedient. I honestly thought your vivacity would last much longer than that! We haven't even begun training yet!"

"What's the use of fighting with you? You're stronger than I and would beat me easily in a physical confrontation and why should I try and fight you mentally? I have nowhere else to go so I may as well just serve Frieza and yourself." _And learn how to defeat you both in the process_ she finished silently in her mind.

One of the doctors scurried to Chi's side as Zarbon gaped at her, at the depth that had gone into her thoughts and the maturity such thought patterns displayed, making him immediately wary of her, and causing him to wonder what other surprises lay in store for himself and Frieza inside that enigmatic mind of hers. The doctor meanwhile vainly tried to make Chi lie down again, moving agitatedly around her and tittering anxiously. "Please miss, you can't be fully healed yet, your injuries are very grave. Frieza will kill me if anything happens to you whilst you're under my care, so please, lie down."

Chi ignored the irritating creature for the time being and instead fixed Zarbon with a penetrating stare, equally unsure as to what to make of him as he was of her. Sure he was strong, and his very presence commanded attention and respect, but he was still the man who'd gone back on his word and killed her otousan…no, he had never promised that he would spare Daemon, Chi had just assumed he would. And her assumption had cost Daemon his life…it had been entirely her fault, she was responsible for Daemon's death though it had been Zarbon who had spilled her father's blood. Chi pressed a trembling hand to her mouth in horror as the enormity of her thoughts and their implications hit her mind like savage blows. She staggered backwards, falling against a wall for support as she struggled to keep the overwhelming emotions flooding her heart at bay, the room spinning and twirling sickeningly around her.

Finally she gradually became aware of someone's hand on her arm, supporting her, preventing her from falling any further, their pleading voice finally registering hollowly in her ears, "Please miss, please you're unwell. Lie down again for you own sake, come on, just lie down…" It was the doctor. With a savage growl, Chi tore her arm from the alien's grip and stood of her own accord, shaking her head viciously to clear it of the turmoil roiling around inside her brain. She glared at the doctor and her stare caused him to back down, almost trembling with fear as she bared her teeth at him in a silent snarl. How dare he touch her, support her without her permission, how dare he think her weak? She may be a human, but she was still strong, she still had her pride and she wouldn't accept pity from anyone, let alone an inferior medic.

Straightening up, Chi looked back at Zarbon who was watching her again, a strange look in his usually guarded eyes. Snapping her arms up above her head suddenly, Chi tumbled forward and somersaulted, once, twice, before coming to a graceful landing in front of the green-haired man. The doctor squeaked a timid protest but Chi turned and smiled sweetly at him, an innocent gesture, but one that was laced with steel. "I'm perfectly fine now as I'm sure you can see. There's no point in fussing…I'm NOT going to lie down and I'm NOT going to rest so be quiet!" The doctor's eyes bulged with anger, now that she was a safe distance away from him. "Fine! Just don't blame me when you wind up in here a few days later with serious internal injuries!"

FWOOM! A largish blast detonated right by his ear and the doctor cringed as he saw Chi glaring at him, another blast forming in her other hand. The alien decided that he had other patients that needed seeing to – far out of her blast radius – and beat a hasty retreat.

"Oh I won't," Chielle called smugly at his retreating back, and she let the blast dissipate, pleased that she had won the argument.

She took advantage of the moment of stunned silence that had followed her display, to look around to where the members of the Ginyu Force where having their injuries seen to. Captain Ginyu looked up from where a doctor was bandaging a cut on his head and their eyes met across the bustling room. Ginyu's eyes narrowed and his expression became one of such hatred that Chi took an involuntary half step backwards, into Zarbon, her face paling. Making an enemy of Ginyu was a mistake that Chi would come to regret…she knew it.

Zarbon looked between the two and saw the expressions being exchanged. He laughed again and clapped Chielle almost warmly on the shoulder (after all there was no love lost between him and Captain Ginyu). He leaned down slightly and whispered to her, "Don't you worry about Ginyu, he's just annoyed because you actually managed to beat him. No one's beaten the Ginyu Force in years. Actually if you ask me I think the defeat will actually do Ginyu some good…he's been entirely too cocky these last few years – a bit of humiliation every now and then will keep his ego in perspective. Just remember you've already defeated him once…you can always beat him again, can't you? Now come on…time to see you to your quarters and show you the ropes."

"But I thought…"

"That Frieza-sama would do that?" Zarbon asked, openly amused. "No he's seen fit to dump you on me. Mostly though he will train you, I'll just be in charge of your training when he has pressing matters elsewhere. When you're not training however you are under my jurisdiction – got that?" Chielle nodded.

"So basically I answer to Frieza first, and then you right? But what about the Ginyus? Do I have to take orders from them as well?"

"Only if Frieza orders it. Under normal circumstances the Ginyus have no real authority over you so if they give you an order but you don't follow it then Frieza won't see it as treason."

"But I don't understand. Why don't I have to take orders from Ginyu?"

"Because of the way things work here. You've already proved that you are more skilled than the Ginyu Force so don't need to take orders from them." The relief that flooded over Chielle was palpable and Zarbon laughed again as he saw it wash it over her face.

"Now come on gaki, we've hung around here far too long." And with that Zarbon swept out the doorway and Chielle found she had to jog to keep up with his long-legged strides. She was so intent on not losing track of Zarbon and not falling behind that she didn't really pay attention to where she was going and crashed into somebody with a tremendous thud.

"Watch where you're going!" Someone snapped irritably and Chielle looked up into the scowling face of an armour-clad warrior, his dark onyx eyes blazing with irritation. He appeared to be only a few years older than her, certainly no more than seven, but for all that, he carried himself as though he were vastly superior to anyone and everyone who crossed his path. Chi took a step back, dropping her eyes from that piercing gaze and muttered a hasty apology. "As well you should be!" the warrior yelled at her. "Do you know whom you're dealing with here?" Chi mutely shook her head and still refused to look at him. "I am Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyajins and you are nothing but a common peasant." Chi ground her teeth together to bite back a stinging retort to that comment.

"Come on gaki what's keeping you?" Zarbon demanded as he strode back up the passage towards the two. "Oh hello Vegeta, fancy meeting you here," Zarbon said brightly and smirked as he saw Vegeta's barely controlled outrage and revulsion flicker across his face. Very stiffly Vegeta bowed to Zarbon, his teeth clenched as tightly together as Chi's. "Good day to you Zarbon," he said sparing a glance at Chi who stood stock still, her fists clenched at her sides, trembling with barely controlled rage. She was still rather upset about what had happened to Terrasei and right about then, a fight would feel very, very good.

"And who's the little pest following you around like a second shadow?" Vegeta queried and Zarbon smiled slightly.

"The gaki is Frieza's new…project. She has a lot of potential. By the way where's Nappa? I thought you two were joined at the hip." Vegeta ignored Zarbon's question for the moment and reached out, lifting Chi effortlessly up off the ground by the collar of her shirt and looking at her. His eyes bored into her, picking out every detail about the little girl as he inspected her closely.

Suddenly he threw back his head and laughed, not letting go of Chi at all. "This…this girl is what Frieza wants to replace me with? What a joke! This gaki is no more a warrior than I am a dancer. And no Zarbon, Nappa and I aren't joined at the hip. He's off doing what he does best, other than fighting. He's stuffing his face in the mess hall."

While Vegeta was talking Chi scowled deeply as his acidic comments grated on her tightly-strung nerves then suddenly decided with a heated fervour to prove him wrong. She threw her leg around the outstretched limb for balance and support, tore her collar out of his grip and then sank her teeth as deeply into his arm as she possibly could, tearing viciously through the material of his sleeve and his skin until she drew blood.

Vegeta gave a startled yelp as the pain from the wound exploded like fire upon his nerves and he shook his arm in a desperate attempt to dislodge her before she ripped out a chunk of his flesh. But just then, Chi's swift, heated rage cooled as abruptly as it had surfaced…and she decided to spare him.

She released her vice-like clamp on his arm, circled his wrist with her hands, did a handstand and somersaulted backwards to land gracefully on the floor with only the lightest of thuds as her feet made contact with the ground. Whirling around to face the somewhat disgruntled Vegeta, Chi smirked imperiously at him and wiped his blood ever so casually away from her mouth.

Vegeta snarled and charged up a ki blast, aiming it at the young protégé. She wasn't going to get away with embarrassing him! Not by a long shot! Without warning however, he found himself landing hard on his back, the ki blast bouncing harmlessly off the ceiling as Chi appeared right in front of Vegeta and swept his legs out from under him with a vicious kick. She rose from the crouching position she had assumed, flicked imaginary dust from her clothes and turned and marched down the hallway, resisting the urge to give Vegeta a swift kick in the side for good measure.

Zarbon dropped to one knee beside Vegeta and murmured to him, "You know, I'd start practising my dance moves if I were you Vegeta. Be sure to tell me when you're performing live won't you?"

With a superior smirk, Zarbon rose and strode after Chi, leaving Vegeta where he lay, muttering and spluttering with rage in the middle of the corridor.


	8. Meeting At Midnight

****

Chapter Seven - Meeting at Midnight

(One week later)

Chi stepped into her tiny room and heaved a sigh of relief as the door slid shut behind her with a soft hiss, leaving her alone in the gloom within. Life aboard a starship was certainly not as easy as it seemed on TV. Her training was intense, one could almost say brutal and Chi often found herself wondering, if she would even survive to see another day. In fact, today was the first day since Frieza had started training her that she hadn't wound up in a regen tank and even then Chi was sure that that was only because Frieza had been called away in the middle of the sparring session (or as she preferred to think of it; he beat her senseless while she tried futilely to stay conscious for as long as she possibly could).

She couldn't help but be thankful that there had been an emergency, she'd already been in the tanks three times in this first week alone, and that was more than enough time for her to learn that she hated the damn contraptions. Sure they saved your life, but they were so damn small that you couldn't help but feel claustrophobic and sometimes you got scared that they might never let you out or that the oxygen would fail and you'd drown or something else as equally unpleasant. Then there was that infernal beeping at the end of the cycle which was supposed to summon the damn medic but sometimes they were just so goddamn slow about opening the tank, which of course led to the unreasoning fears, which in turn led to a state of near-panic.

And the doctors wondered why most of their patients were so bad tempered after a stint in the regen tanks.

Sighing to herself, Chi walked across the small, dimly lit chamber and knelt on her bed, pressing her face against the coolness of the plasglass window and staring morosely out at the stars passing by. Somewhere out there amongst those twinkling points of light drifted the cold remains of her home, the cold remains of her life. A life that had been firmly wrenched from her hands, a life that she would never be able to go back to.

Finally, unable to bear the silence and the tortured thoughts running through her mind, Chi lay down and allowed exhaustion-induced unconsciousness to claim her, hoping to find peace in the black, unthinking void of sleep. But that night, like every other night since she'd been brought aboard Frieza's ship, she was to find no solace in sleep.

Visions of horribly mutilated people chased her through wild scenes that made no sense. Captain Ginyu jeered at her as Purtan's blood stained her hands. Terrifying, disjointed images of blood and fire filled her mind along with the agonised screams of the dying. Then all fell silent.

Then she heard a noise…it sounded like…yes it was! Someone was calling to her. She turned and saw her parents beckoning, outstretching their arms to her in love. Chi's expression became one of pure joy and she ran towards them, certain that everything was going to be ok. As she came within a metre of them, Chayla and Daemon's faces became hideously warped masks and their voices become cold, evil cackles. Daemon lifted a hand to his neck and pulled his head off while Chayla slumped forward a bloody mess. Chi gagged and turned away to come face to face with Frieza. "The perfect minion" he exclaimed triumphantly, his hands reaching out to seize her and trap her forever, his laugh low and evil…

"NO!" Chielle screamed waking in a cold sweat, her heart racing frantically in her chest. She drew in a deep, shuddering breath and hugged her knees tightly to her chest. "It was only a dream" she told herself sternly. "Only a dream, dreams can't hurt you!"

Breathing heavily, Chi finally managed to quieten her heartbeat to a normal rate as she lay down and tried to go back to sleep but after a while of lying awake and staring at the ceiling, she decided that it was useless and got up. She crept out into the dark hall, one destination clear in her mind as her stomach rumbled its agreement.

This late at night the ship's fat and lazy cook would be sound asleep and well away from his domain, leaving it free for Chi to pilfer.

Keeping to the shadows Chi moved stealthily down the hall and slipped into the kitchen. Once there she began raiding the cupboards for something edible but after a while it became blatantly obvious that she wasn't going to find anything. Snarling slightly with frustration, Chi gave up on finding something ready-to-eat and began hunting down the ingredients for pancakes instead.

A little while later she was standing over a heated frying pan and expertly flipping the moist rich batter into golden brown pancakes. She hummed softly to herself, focusing completely on making sure that every pancake was golden brown to stop herself from thinking too deeply about how quickly her life had changed and to stop herself from worrying about her future. She flipped the last pancake onto the stack just as someone sneezed from the shadows and the hairs on the back of her neck prickled as she sensed the mystery person's presence. Chi raised the frying pan defensively, "Who's there?" she called to the unknown stranger…

And a low sinister laugh answered her query. "So, somebody tell me. What is Frieza's newest project doing in the kitchen at 3am in the morning when it is obviously way past her bedtime?" Vegeta, a wide smirk plastered upon his face, strode into the tiny circle of light cast by the lamp Chi had lit to see by, followed closely by a tall warrior with a wild mane of dark hair that reached past his knees. "She appears to be making your breakfast my prince." The tall warrior suggested slyly, eyeing the pancakes openly. Chi opened her mouth to voice a protest but stayed quiet when she realised that she wasn't really in any position to argue. With one shout Vegeta could bring almost the whole ship running and get Chi into major trouble.

With a defeated sigh Chi put the frying pan back on the element, gestured for the two young men to sit down and help themselves then busied herself with cooking the rest of the batter (which she'd intended to set aside for later use). After a few minutes of silence, Chi's sharp hearing picked up their muted conversation. "Well I'll be damned Radditz, the gaki can cook!"

"It is rather good my Prince…" Chi shrugged slightly and silently berated herself for eavesdropping. She picked up the fresh batch of pancakes and wordlessly set it in front of Vegeta and Radditz - who dug in almost immediately - then shuffled back behind the counter, filled the sink and started doing the dishes.

For a long while the only sounds were the clink of dishes and the guys' noisy chewing, then all went silent again. Vegeta took this moment to study the girl whom Frieza had taken such an interest in. Her shoulders were slumped, her head was bowed, her face pale and her hands were shaking so badly that she was having trouble holding the dishes without dropping them. Vegeta frowned; this wasn't the creature that had attacked him earlier in the week, this wasn't that demon child - or was it?

"Gaki come here" Vegeta ordered and Chi reluctantly walked over and stood beside his chair, one hand resting lightly on her hip. "What happened to you? Why are you here? What happened to the little monster that bit me earlier?" Chi's lips twitched briefly upwards in a smile…but only briefly. She looked down at her hands then back up at Vegeta with a cool, level gaze. "Let's see, girl lives on planet, men attack planet, Frieza kills girls mother, girl defeats Ginyu force, Zarbon beheads girl's father in front of girl, girl captured by Frieza, watches home get blown up, end story." Chi's tone was harsh and bitter and at the end she looked away, but not before Vegeta saw the glimmer of tears in her eyes.

He was about to say something when Chi cut in quickly "I really must go to bed. It is way past my bedtime after all." And with that Chi swept from the kitchen and down the hall, the door swinging softly shut behind her. Vegeta leaned back in his chair and stared at the door as if he expected her to come back. "It takes a while to sink in doesn't it Radditz?" he asked his companion quietly.

"What does my Prince?"

"The loss of everything, your entire life as you knew it." Radditz nodded.

"Aye it does my Prince, especially at such a young age."

"She has a lot in common with us then doesn't she Radditz?"

"Yes, and even I am forced to admit that she will make a fine warrior some day - if she lives that long. She had better learn to hide her emotions, you would know best my Prince where Frieza stands on emotions." Vegeta merely nodded.

"So she had better learn and learn fast, for her sake." Radditz finished.

"For her sake," Vegeta echoed, his eyes still riveted thoughtfully on the door.


	9. Mission

****

Chapter Eight – Mission

(A month or two later)

Frieza charged again and again, his savage kicks, blasts and punches coming like lighting, so fast Chi hadn't the time to block and the blows struck repeatedly. She keeled forward only to be met by Frieza's knee in her face and blood came spurting out her broken nose. Frieza gripped her hair firmly and wrenched her head back so fast her neck nearly snapped to meet his furious gaze. "You worthless, pathetic, snivelling little coward." He hissed menacingly. "Can't you put up a better fight than that?"

"I'm sorry master," Chi whispered, squirming slightly to try and ease the pain on her scalp. "I'm trying really hard, honest!" Frieza picked her up off the ground (still by her hair) and slapped her viciously around the face. "You're trying? Your mother died trying to protect you. Your father died trying to save the planet." Chi's struggling became more desperate at the mention of her parents.

"Stop" she pleaded softly, clapping her hands over her ears. "Don't say that!"

Frieza scowled at her. "It is not enough just to try. You have to will yourself to succeed and I swear that even if it takes me years to beat that into you I will. Your parents were pathetic excuses for warriors, but there is hope for you once you learn to suppress those useless emotions that hold you back from your true potential." Frieza let go of Chi's hair suddenly, dumping her roughly on the floor. "Now get out of my sight! Right now the very thought of you sickens me."

Chi rose slowly to her feet, dabbing at a bloody wound on her head with a corner of her sleeve. She turned to leave but then turned back, her eyes glowing with a strange determination. "No, I won't leave, I want to reach my full potential. Show me how to attain it master, only you can put it fully in my grasp." Chi knelt respectfully before Frieza, awaiting his answer, barely daring to breathe. He looked down at her his scowl switching to a smile faster than one could blink. "Very well I shall show you. Now on your guard, let's begin."

Vegeta stood silently, peering intently through the tiny window of the regen tank at the girl who floated in the regeneration fluid, the look on her face almost peaceful. _It's amazing, how could she have stood up against Frieza for as long as she did? She's only a human child._

"Visiting again Vegeta? I sincerely hope that you're not injured, though you seem to be in perfect health." The head doctor commented, glancing up from where he was organising a stack of medicines on a trolley.

"No, I'm perfectly fine, I came to se if the rumours about this child were true. Are they?" The doctor nodded.

"Oh yes Vegeta, quite true. The girl stood up against Frieza for a good half an hour or more after that first brutal beating he gave her. I know because I was the one who Frieza personally called upon to put her back together again." He smiled tolerantly. "And even in unconsciousness she was still fighting. We had to sedate her in order for my technicians and I to even get close enough to work on her injuries. A real wildcat that one."

"It's unbelievable to think that such a small child could have such extraordinary power." The doctor made a small noise of agreement.

"Yes but remember there are many kinds of power, hers is the power of the mind. Her strength comes from her determination and she will fight for as long as she believes she can win even if to others it seems to be a losing battle. This willpower, this…determination to succeed makes her a force to be reckoned with. I cannot begin to imagine the levels she will reach with the right tutelage." Vegeta nodded thoughtfully, his eyes riveted on her innocent-looking face. "Will she ever be on a par with me?"

"She is elite class material, no doubt about it, but that only puts her on a par with you Vegeta, it is highly unlikely that she will ever exceed your level." The head doctor answered, reading her power-level and vital statistics off a nearby monitor. Vegeta gave a satisfied grunt. "Then maybe I could teach her a thing or two."

"What a simply splendid idea Vegeta!" Frieza exclaimed moving into the pair's line of sight. Vegeta hastily bowed and murmured a respectful "my Lord" as Frieza approached. "Here's an idea Vegeta. How about the gaki goes along with you on your next planet purge? Give her some practical experience in the field."

"Are you sure that's wise sire? She is after all very young."

"Absolutely, don't be taken back by her age, after all, you were demanding challenging missions of your very own when you were her age if you remember, and I'm sure she can learn a lot from you, children are very fast learners after all." Vegeta saluted smartly.

"As you command, our pods leave this evening, make sure she's in the launch bay ready to go at 2100 for a 2110 launch." Frieza waved a dismissal and Vegeta scurried out, thinking to himself. _Yes I did demand the most challenging missions didn't I Frieza? But this girl is just a human, she's nowhere near my level and yet you expect her to live up to my high standards? It's madness Frieza, she'll never be able to keep up with us saiyajins. But I guess you won't see that until we prove it to you. So we shall prove it, tonight!_

At 2100 sharp Chi stepped through the launch bay doors outfitted in a brand new suit of armour and a long flowing red cape. Vegeta stood beside the four pods that awaited their pilots talking to Radditz and another Saiyajin whom Chi had never seen before. Vegeta spied Chi out of the corner of his eye and a broad smirk lit up his face. "Ah here's the gaki now! Frieza insists we show her the ropes of planet purging Nappa so now we're stuck with her." Chi winced slightly then quickly hid it, striding forward more confidently than she felt to join with the awaiting saiyajins. "And a good evening to you Vegeta. Which pod has been assigned to me?" Vegeta waved vaguely at a pod to his left and Chi walked towards it without even a word of thanks.

"We had better get going then if we're going to make a 2110 launch" Chi reminded them as she clambered inside the small spacecraft and closed the door. If those who had assigned her to this mission and pod thought that she was going to have difficulty piloting the craft without having the controls explained to her, they were in for a shock. Chi had the controls all figured out within a matter of minutes and was the first from the mission to radio in to the control centre to request clearance for launch.

Chi was so focused on her mission that she hadn't noticed the crowd that had gathered to see the 'team' off. Nor did she notice Captain Ginyu tap a mercenary by the name of Dodoria on the shoulder and lean close to him for a whispered conversation involving a lot of speculative glances in her direction. By the time Chi thought to take in her surroundings it was too late and she was shooting out into the stars on her first mission for Frieza.


End file.
